Into the woods

I have had a lot of this week off work, well Monday and Tuesday, as well as today as my daughter has her mock exams.  I took Leia for a walk into the local woods today.  She loves walking with any of us, but loves walking in the woods the most.  While here, she got to meet other dogs and explored.  Needless to say, she was quite tired when she got back!

Fear Street Part Two: 1978

Another good film.  I liked it, lots, and it made me wonder what is to come in the third.  This series has hooked me in, though with some of the more intimate scenes, it was awkward watching it with my daughter.  I got home from work to find her revising for her mock exams next week on the sofa downstairs and she was willing to end her studies to.  My son is not a fan of horror, at least for now, and made a decision not to watch it with us. 

It may be that I will need to watch all three again once I have watched the final one, though if I do, the soundtrack will be a reason as well as working out how well the plot melds.

While it can be argued that the film is predictable, that is only in that there is going to be a huge body count, especially as we know this from the first film.  The deaths are full of gore, though are more disturbing as they do involve children. 

I was talking earlier today at work, who does not like the sick and twisted films that I am attracted to, about how I like a film that is put together well.  This is one of them.

Congatulations

My daughter did really well in her interview last night.  It was one for the sixth form college locally.  She is not too sure if she wants to go there or not, and I have made her aware that her chances at reaching her potential for her grades is greater if she stays where she is, but that she will encounter a wider range of people if she switches.  However, while she may enjoy things more there, I suspect that she will not get the help that she may want if she is there, help that she will get if she stays where she is now.  

But that is her decision to make, and I will support her with it.

Our Prime Minister appears to think that he is above the rules

On repeated occasions, our Prime Minister appears to have shown evidence that there is one rule for the many, and one rule for others.  Today was an example where he showed that he likes to ignore and then bend the rules.

I disagree with the stance that Labour has on second jobs.  My view is that I have no issues with MP's having a second job.  I just do not want them to be involved in corrupt behaviour, this including lobbying for a business that an MP works for as part of their second job, or contracts being awarded to friends, or being part of a task force on COVID prevention and pushing through a measure that will not protect people.

There is no doubt that this government have come across as corrupt and have lost the moral standpoint to question other nations about this.  I understand the reluctance of the Prime Minister to avoid this, but to repeatedly break the rules of Parliament in PMQ's is even less acceptable than his usual refusal to answer difficult questions posed to him.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Finally! we got to watch this.  Though I was not sure if I would be able to.  My wife and I drove to London for her course and I stayed with my mother and had lunch there while I worked and had a chat with her as well as being fed lunch.  It was nice to have home cooked food from my childhood again.  My brother was not at home as he was over at his partner's.  The drive to her course was an easy one, it being Sunday and early morning, though the drive there in the afternoon was more interesting and I had to put my London driving head back on.  

It was great picking her up afterwards as she was buzzing.  It is sad in a way that this was a date, but it was great spending time with her.

Once at home, it was household chores, ironing for me and my wife cooked (I said that she should relax).  And we watched Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.  Well most of us did, one child left after an argument between the two resulted in them being asked to leave.  They had the chance to watch the end which they had missed later, but declined.  

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a film I liked.  My wife was not too fond of the CGI, but I thought that the film was put together quite well.  Predictable in places, but a well told story and another Disney success.  I am looking forwards to watching the films that are to follow from this!

But before we watched it. my daughter and I watched this...

Desks

We tried to relax today as tomorrow I am driving my wife to London for a course.  We got my daughter a desk for her room, I went and did a bit of man shopping, that is my wife gave me a list and then I did not get what was on it (pictures help).  My son wanted to watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and got annoyed when we did not.  Which was ironic as he did not know it was on until we told him!  We had wanted to watch it in the cinema before, but were too nervous because of the pandemic.

My daughter wanted to assemble the desk so I went to her room to supervise her, but ended up doing it all as she collapsed exhausted from revising for her up coming mock exams as well as staying up to watch this video!

Eternals

The family insisted that we watched this on the weekend.  My daughter has a friend who watched it and would tell her spoilers.  My son wanted to watch it as well, even though he had to go to a firework display afterwards and this would cut it fine.  I had said I would watch it midweek with him.  I do prefer watching films on a Wednesday as there are less people there.  The person next to me only sneezed six times, but that was six times too many.  Apparently, the person next to my daughter coughed on occasions.  

As with most Marvel films, this was another classic and well worth watching.  I loved it and would certainly watch it again, in fact, I will be watching it again on Disney+ when it is out.  A great story, good acting and I loved the characters.  I do not want to say too much as I do not want to spoil the film, but we all loved it.

Afterwards, my son was a bit stressed as he did not realise how late it finished, but he met up with his friends to go to the firework display and had a great time there.

Dune

Cinema time was yesterday.  It was the third time that we have been to the Curzon in Colchester, though by we, this was my daughter and I to watch Dune.  My wife had no interest in watching it, and while my son had expressed an interest in watching it before, he changed his mind.  

He may have been a bit stressed about the exams that he had earlier in the day, this being an SPAG English assessment (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar).  He has been a bit more stressed, getting lifts in from my wife and I so far this week rather than riding his bike into school.  He is happy to walk back with his friends, which is fine, so long as he lets us know this in advance.

Anyway, the film.  I do remember bits of the 1984 version of Dune from many years ago when I was a lot younger.  I do remember being told that it was a complicated film and this one appears to have overcome the constraints of changing the book into film by filming it over two parts.  Yes, at the beginning, the film was a bit ponderous, but it did speed up and I am looking forwards to the sequel.  I cannot really comment on the plot as it is based on the book, but the acting and directing made the story make sense.

Just one thing, how have the inhabitants of Arrakis lived so long if Sand Worms are attracted to movement in the sandy wastes of the planet? 

Cash For Questions

In PMQ's today, Angela Rayner tore Boris Johnson apart about corruption.

This is an issue that has been raised over an MP who acted in a matter that while many view as legitimate, was seem to benefit a company that he has been paid for.  The allegation is that the process that made the decisions is unfair and should be reformed with Owen Patterson then to be investigated under the new rules.  

Angela Rayner referred to a proposed change in the rules relating to how Rob Roberts was readmitted and how they wished to change the rules and review his case under the new rules.  Personally, while I think that the actions of Rob Roberts was wrong, a retrospective change of rules after a gap in the law has been found is also wrong.  I think that it was wrong for Labour to push for that in his case, just as I think that the same is wrong for Owen Patterson.  

The issue of cash for questions harmed the Conservatives under John Major, but so far, Boris Johnson and the Conservatives have avoided numerous allegations.

One relates to the holiday by Boris Johnson in Mustique.

Another relates to how COVID test contracts where handed out.

There are issues relating to the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat where Boris Johnson lives currently. 

And there are the issues with how PPE contacts were awarded, this appearing to include contracts of PPE that could not be used!

It is sad how the the population of the UK appear to be happy with this sleaze.  Many blame Keir Starmer for this, rather than the media who do not really hold this government to account.

The Predator

Disappointing.  I had got home late last night and decided to watch this.  If you wish to watch The Predator, do not.  Terrible directing and a disjointed plot, this was nothing like the first two films in the franchise.  Saying that, it has been years since I watched them and I may not enjoy them as much as I did back in the past.  

The plus point of the film is that it makes me appreciate other films more.

Do not watch it.  

The Forgotten Battle

First of all, the most important issue, family.  My son went out last night to Trick Or Treat with a friend and appeared to have fun dressing in my vampire cloak doing so.  My daughter had been out with friends earlier in the day to go to the local Escape Room.  Considering that yesterday was the last day of freedom before they return to school after the week off for half term, they both deserved it.  We handed out sweets with tongs to reduce the risk of COVID contamination when people came round.

Second, Arsenal.  Aaron Ramsdale was amazing. I thought (and still think) that Leno is great, but this youngster hopefully will be the future of Arsenal.  This game was one I expected to lose.  After all, we have not travelled that well and were up against a decent side.  To win in the way we did brings about hope for the rest of the season, and to make things better, the scum lost as well!

Finally, the film.  This was on my Netflix recommended list and I thought that it was worth it.  It was a battle that I did not know too much about and I felt that this carried across some of the horrors of war very well.  The acting and directing were great and this is a must watch for those who are interested in good quality war films.